Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet-conveying device that conveys sheets and an image-forming apparatus that uses such a sheet-conveying device.
Description of Related Art
In an apparatus such as an image-forming apparatus, which uses a sheet-conveying device, a configuration in which a sheet-position correction operation is performed has been known. Such a sheet-position correction operation to correct a position of the sheet along a width direction thereof is performed by moving rollers with them nipping the sheet along the width direction of the sheet, which is perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet, after an inclination of the sheet toward a direction along a surface of the sheet has been corrected.
In the sheet-position correction operation, the conveying rollers that rotate along a conveying direction of the sheet have caused a resistance when the sheet moves along a width direction thereof. Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-133223 has proposed such a technology that all of the conveying rollers are escaped from a sheet-conveying route in the sheet-position correction operation.
Further, an apparatus such as an image-forming apparatus, which is provided with a configuration to convey the sheets, contains a guide member constituting a sheet-conveying route. In the image-forming apparatus, the sheet on which an image has been formed passes through the sheet-conveying route including the guide member.
When an image formed surface of the sheet comes into contact with the guide member, any scratch, for example, so-called image scratch may occur on the image formed surface of the sheet. Particularly, in a curved sheet-conveying route in which the guide member is formed to be curved, the sheet often comes into contact with the guide member, so that the image scratch is easy to occur therein.
Accordingly, a technology to provide for any roller which projects from the guide member constituting the sheet-conveying route, contacts the sheet and rotates together with the conveyance of the sheet has been proposed.